New NATO operation now does not include Russian drones being shot down over Ukraine – Radio Liberty

NATO operation Eastern Sentinel does not currently envisage the possibility of shooting down Russian drones over the territory of Ukraine. This was reported by the Ukrainian media service Radio Liberty, citing an anonymous senior NATO official.

Asked whether the prospect of shooting down Russian targets over Ukraine as they approach NATO airspace was being discussed, the official said that the Alliance's new mission "only applies to the territories of allied states."

He also said that eight member states have already joined or intend to join the Eastern Watch. They are France, Germany, Czech Republic, United Kingdom, Denmark, Italy, Spain and Sweden.

At the same time, NATO is still refraining from assessing what Russia's intentions were during the drone attack on Poland on September 10. An Alliance official again called it a "reckless and dangerous" act, and explained why the incident has not yet been labeled deliberate.

"There are many things to consider when analyzing such a situation. Sometimes drone tracks can appear in duplicate. In other words, you can see several tracks on the radar and only one drone, so there is a lot to do to read this picture... It may or may not ever become completely clear," the official said.

He emphasized that a lot of data can be obtained from drone debris, and added that on-site investigations are primarily Poland's prerogative for obvious reasons.

"But, of course, NATO has worked and continues to work and learn from Ukraine in a variety of ways through our daily interaction... It's absolutely a two-way street: Ukrainians learn from us, and at the same time our troops learn from Ukrainians... On many levels, political and military, NATO has very deep and long-standing ties with Ukraine," the official said.

• On September 12, the day when Eastern Sentinel was launched, supreme Allied commander Europe Grynkewich was asked if it was time to shoot down Russian targets over the west of Ukraine as they approached the border. The commander replied that as part of the new operation the Alliance focuses on the defense of its territory.
• At the same time, president Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine was offering to intercept Russian air targets together with NATO.
• Polish foreign minister Sikorski also noted that the West should consider the idea of the downing of Russian missiles and drones over Ukraine.